Bran the Blessed

[Fionna]

I have recently become acquainted with the Welsh deity Bran the Blessed, brother of Branwen. And I've been researching to find a good offering for him. But, everything I find has to do with Branwen. Now, she's a wonderful deity, but I can't seem to find anything for Bran. If anybody has any ideas as to what to offer, I'd be very appreciative.

[Philosophia]

Here are some sites to look at:
http://www.pagannews.com/cgi-bin/gods3.pl?Bran_the_Blessed
http://www.novareinna.com/constellation/alder.html
http://www.themystica.com/mystica/articles/c/cauldron.html
http://www.ynysprydein.org/bran/grail.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bran_the_Blessed
http://www.britannia.com/history/legend/collection/legcol16.html
http://www.earlybritishkingdoms.com/bios/bran.html
http://www.mysteriousbritain.co.uk/gods&goddesses/bran.html
http://www.sacred-texts.com/earth/teia/teia08.htm
http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Bran_the_Blessed
http://home.comcast.net/~brons/Bran.html
http://www.lundyisleofavalon.co.uk/godsetc/bran.htm
http://www.graphesthesia.com/rw/s-Bran.html (Aldar tree)
http://www.earthwitchery.com/bran.html
http://www.pantheon.org/articles/b/bran2.html
http://www.vortigernstudies.org.uk/artsou/triadstex.htm

[ancestral_lee]

hello, ok well i dont have much to do with Bendigeidfran at the moment, but will have a go.

He was one of the sons of Llyr who seems to have been a rather primal sea god. had brothers and a sister Branwen. was a giant, had a cauldron of rebirth.

the poem Cad Goddeu has been interpretaed as a raid on the otherworld by the children of Don, who fight against Bran and Arawn. that beng the case, then Bran is a lord in Annwn, his magical cauldron also reinforces this idea.

associated with the Alder tree, in fact his nephew was name 'alder'.

often his named is interpreted as blessed raven and so he is associated with ravens. hoever, raven in welsh is cigfran. bran/fran is i *think* more accurately translated a crow. so branwen is white crow or whire breast (magpie maybe?), so the Blessed Crow may possibly refer to a specific corvid rather than a general term.

as to offerings, id suggest any food or drink that is offered respectfully and with good intention. trust your instincts and intuition. perhaps go with peppered prok chops - they were a favorite in the mabinogion.


let us know how you get on, id be very interested to hear

lee

[MacMorrighan]

I have recently become acquainted with the Welsh deity Bran the Blessed, brother of Branwen. And I've been researching to find a good offering for him. But, everything I find has to do with Branwen. Now, she's a wonderful deity, but I can't seem to find anything for Bran. If anybody has any ideas as to what to offer, I'd be very appreciative.

I would recommend an incense that includes Aldar, a tree that's sacred to Him. He is said to have used His body to span the Linon river, which may have been footings of Alder; an oily and very water-resistant tree. He may also be associated with the Celtic Cult of the Head, thus cedarwood oil, in particular, would be sacred to Him. However, because His head was said to prophecy (another facet of other severed heads in narrative literature); moreover, He is said to continuously sing, which may imply the top-most branch of the alder, which was used to make enchanted whistles.

And, maybe even an anointing oil that includes a crow feather, being that His Name-- or epithet-- means "Raven".

Also, alder produces three different colours of dye that may be used to dye robes, cors, and altar cloths for use in His Rites!


Red, from the bark; representing the Element of Fire
Green, from the flowers; representing the Element of Water
Brown, from the twigs; representing the Element of Earth


However, while I am not dedicated to Him, as such, here are a couple formulas I have found that you may use in your worship of Him:

BRAN INCENSE ["Raven" Oracular-God]


1 part alder wood
1/2 part alder catkins (the fuzzy things that are also found on pussy willows)
1/2 part alder cones
1 part oak bark
3 parts frankincense resin
1/2 part rowan berries
1/2 part pine resin [also known as pine pitch]
Few drops pine oil
Few drops rosewood oil


BRAN OIL


20 ml. hazelnut oil
20 drops vitamin E oil (for preservation)
5 drps frankincense oil
5 drops pine oil
5 drops rosewood oil


Furthermore, there is an interesting entry in Cassell's Encyclopedia of Queer Myth, Symbol, & Spirit, "According to Robert Graves (1981). Bran may have been worshipped by a 'homosexual poriesthood.' His cult was virtually wiped out when Amathaon was able to discover Bran's secret name by seducing one of the latter's priests. This version of the tale, however, may be (at least in part) the product of Grave's internalized homophobia" [pp. 95].

I would also recommend that you get the primary source material in which He is figured: The Mabinogion (unlike some source material, it is easily available!).

[ancestral_lee]

Furthermore, there is an interesting entry in Cassell's Encyclopedia of Queer Myth, Symbol, & Spirit, "According to Robert Graves (1981). Bran may have been worshipped by a 'homosexual poriesthood.' His cult was virtually wiped out when Amathaon was able to discover Bran's secret name by seducing one of the latter's priests. This version of the tale, however, may be (at least in part) the product of Grave's internalized homophobia" [pp. 95].


ah yes. The White Goddess. Graves comments on Bran's sodomitic prientshood is based purely n a connection Graves makes between Bran and a Middle eastern God who supposedly has a homosexual priesthood. having read the white goddess im not at all convinced by his methodology.

the other problem is that the involvment of Amaethon is based on two englyns that appear before the Cad Goddeu, which mention Amaethon and the Alder. however those Englyns may well be later Additions by Iolo Morgannwg as they do not feature in the original texts.

lee

[Fionna]

Oh wow! Thank you guys so much! And I will definately let you know how I get on as soon as I get out shopping. Either tomorrow or Saturday. ^^

Much Love!